A young rapper tragically lost his life after accidentally shooting himself while filming a music video on social media over the weekend.
According to The New York Post, cops believe the 17-year-old aspiring rapper died from an “accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound” to the head. The teen was found dead in Suffolk, Virginia, on Sunday (May 15.)
Authorities have not released the victim’s name, but social media posts seemingly identified him as Virginia rapper Rylo Huncho. His recent Instagram posts are littered with tributes from his shocked followers.
Footage circulated online of Huncho singing into the camera while pointing a gun with a green laser sight at his head. At one point, he appears to disable the firearm’s safety before a gunshot is heard. The boy is then thrown out of the frame before the camera falls. It is unclear how the video was posted online.
An educator at Rylo Huncho’s school shared a GoFundMe page set up for his family.
“Unfortunately, I am all too familiar with tragedy,” Kara Dorsey wrote on Facebook. “Over the past 14 years I’ve experienced the loss of numerous students and former students, and that never gets easy.”
Dorsey urged students to “honor the legacy of their friend,” and “push through to graduation day and continue fulfilling their goals.”
She added, “While this won’t ease their pain or bring him back, it will honor him and bring joy to their grieving family during this time.”